Begonia plant named ‘Dardoran Imp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Dardoran Imp’ characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; numerous orange-colored double flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DARDORAN IMP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dardoran Imp’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Dardoran’, not patented. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Dardoran’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in July, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands since November, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dardoran Imp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dardoran Imp’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Numerous orange-colored double flowers that are held above         and beyond the foliar plane.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘Dardoran’, in flower color. Plants of the new Begonia have darker orange-colored flowers than plants of ‘Dardoran’.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Reina’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,336. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Reina’ in flower color and form as plants of ‘Reina’ had slightly darker orange-colored flowers with fewer tepaloids.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dardoran Imp’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves (right) and upper, lateral and lower surfaces of developing and open flowers of ‘Dardoran Imp’ (left).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Begonia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were pinched one time and were twelve weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Dardoran Imp’. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Begonia×hiemalis ‘Dardoran’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of             the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading             and mounded plant habit; overall plant shape roughly             globular; flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane.         -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate             growth rate; suitable for 12-cm and larger containers; under             optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usually about             twelve weeks are required to produce proportional 13-cm             potted plants from cuttings; vegetative shoots are formed at             basal nodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             six lateral branches develop.         -   Plant height.—About 24.5 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 36.9 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.1 cm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Angle: About 45° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, sparsely pubescent. Color,             developing: Close to 146C to 146D. Color, fully developed:             Close to 148A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About             11.6 cm. Width: About 9.9 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Oblique. Margin: Bi-serrate; laciniate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and N199A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 187B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and             N189A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 183A to 183B; venation, close to 146A to             146B. Petioles: Length: About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About             4.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 174A; at leaf             attachment, close to 178A to 178B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 177B. Stipules: Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B; venation, close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Double rotate flowers             arranged in axillary compound cymes; usually about 16             flowers per cyme, numerous cymes in flower simultaneously             and about 480 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly and are positioned above and beyond the             foliar plane.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after pinching; plants flower continuously year round             regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants are more freely             flowering from autumn to spring.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent; flowering plants have             excellent postproduction longevity and typical maintain good             substance for about seven weeks under interior conditions.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 16 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 14.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: Ranging from             about 5 mm to 20 mm. Shape: Reniform, flattened. Color:             Close to 47C.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Rotate; double. Diameter: About 6.6 cm.             Depth (height): About 3.3 cm.         -   Tepals.—Quantity per flower: About four arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 4.2 cm. Shape:             Roughly orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 30C to             30D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 35A to 35B;             towards the base, close to 29C. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 35B; towards the base, close to 29A; with             development, color becoming closer to 35C and towards the             base, close to 26C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             39B to 39C; with development, color becoming closer to 39C.         -   Tepaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 14 arranged in several             whorls. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm. Shape:             Obovate to broadly elliptic. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 30C to 30D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 35A to             35B; towards the base, close to 29C. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 35B; towards the base, close to 29A; with             development, color becoming closer to 35C and towards the             base, close to 26C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             39B to 39C; with development, color becoming closer to 39C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Angle: About 45° from lateral branch axis. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Between 144A and 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Angle: About 40° from peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 152D; towards the base, close to             144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to     USDA Hardiness Zone 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Dardoran Imp’ as illustrated and described. 